gieb8688

My 20 year old or so Hasegawa (????) tracked vehicle - minus some parts due to age and storage - but it is well weathered in dust
 

Well I can show mine....
 

I still hadn't touched up the barrel in this photo....

Post Korean war vintage.... that's MM gunmetal with steel lowlights and MM rubber grips everything else (pedestal mount and cradle) is standard OD green.... (there no PE on that gun btw)

As promised
 
Drilling out a gun barrel

Twist with the x acto knife

Drilling done

Matt black paint

Pencil 

Ps,
This is my first post on MSW done on my smartphone and no google translate.
A mile stone for me 
 
 
 

Okay, last update for todayy.  Further updates will be a little slow since I have to obtain some supplies and construction the display.  But I will respond to posts.
 
 I am finished fiddling with the tank. the 3 figures are finished (don't photograph too well close up)
 

Gear lashed to deck using Chuck's Syren rope.

 
 

Ok, Lou, you want to throw a couple boat anchors over the side so we can slow down a little
 
Decals in place - just have to seal them once they completely dry and set.  Attached a fraction of the extra goodies.  See all those ammo cans on the rear deck - well there is at least 10 more like them plus two more of the smaller K ration boxes, plus more ruck sacks. Guess they might have to go in the stash box..... 
 
Anyway, it is not finished completely - the track area needs some camo treatment and is too pristine for a combat tank. So more work there.  I still have the 3 infantrymen shown on the box art to finish plus decide what to do with all the weaponry on the weapons sprue - grenades, etc.  The we take on the display question - how to display?  I know ! I know  Diorama, please !  Patience grasshoppers. Patience.
 

Well, the dowels I have to choose from are too large.  The mast isn't quite 3/4, its more like .70 in.  I thought I would try an 11/16 dowel and look for a mast base to use.  Measuring the photo again in several places puts the diameter between .7 and .68, so 11/16 doesn't seem too horribly small.  The bowsprit measures to around 3/8, and the boom and gaff are around 1/4.  The more I look with the microscope, the more lines and blocks I am finding.  I am up to 15 now, and maybe more.  Also, the boom was adjusted with a traveller.
 

I pulled the mast, and the hole in the deck is 3/4 inch, but the hole in the keel for the mast is 1/4 inch.  I did the math on the mast diameter using the Gaff Rig Handbook and by measuring a copy of the photo that Dad has, and it looks to be 3/4 inch or so on the photo.  Anyone have any ideas on the mast diameter I should use?  I am leaning toward 3/4 inch because of measuring the photo, but I cannot find any mast bases that would fit properly.  Looking at several sources online and the Gaff Rig Handbook, I'm guessing that the original boat was at least 35 feet long.  This looks to be about 1:12 scale...
 
Dad found the original photo, so I may be able to look at something with better resolution. Looking around inside the hill with a gun bore light and looking through the long crack in the deck, it looks like the hull was carved from one piece of wood,with the deck fastened to the top.
 


 

Hello All,
 
I have a model that was built by my Great Grandfather for my Grandmother back around 1913.  Dad and I decided top rename it Virginia Ruth, my Grandmothers first and middle name.   It is supposed to be modeled from a sloop(?) that he was familiar with in the Gulf at Homosassa, Fl.  Way back in 1980 or so, I did a cosmetic rebuild for a 4-H project.  I want to restore it to how he built it.  The hull is hollow and we think it may be made out of Bald Cyprus.  All I had to work with was the hull and a photograph.  My grandmother said that all the rigging operated as it was supposed to, but none of that is left.  He used pulleys and other hardware sourced from England.
 
I guessed on the mast height based on measuring the photo and the actual hull. I repainted it, and stained the top for more of a deck feel.  I am open to modifying the ship to make it as close to how it would have been in reality.
 
Most of the hardware on the deck is original and I do have the anchor.  The hull measures 32 1/2" long on the deck.  it measures 6 1/2" tall at the mast.
 
Here are two photos when it was new.  My Great-Grandfather's shadow is visible.
 

 

 
Here are two photos of how it looks now.  Pretty much a butcher job as I had no idea what I was doing.
 

 

I am willing to replace and add what hardware needs to be added.  I have a set of sails for it that were made from measurements and drawings of the original photo and measurements of the hull.  I really do not like the metal bits that are used for deadeyes or maybe in this case turnbuckles. 
 
Let me know what you think and don't hold back.
 
Thanks,
 
Russell M.

Andy, possibly a wind-scoop of some kind?
 
A different style, the Garland:

Thanks, again, everyone for the kind comments and likes!
 
Work has been progressing smoothly over the last few days. The major joints in the roof have been filled and sanded smooth, as and where required. I use Squadron putty, as it bonds well with styrene. It's not quite as good with wood, but if you're careful it will do the job there too. A few extra strips of 0.020" square stock were required to widen out the edges of the roof ends to match the wooden centre section. 

I've successfully managed to make the two clerestory inserts. The include all the vent openings, however I was unable to locate the aluminium mesh (that I know I have somewhere, hidden), so they will remain as just openings. This is probably for the good, as the material thickness wouldn't allow for another layer anyway. The lavatory vents were also added (again, spare parts from a Branchline kit)

The I've also completed the visible components of the Baker car heater; the smoke jack and the covered header tank. The smoke jack was simply made using various thicknesses of styrene tubing. The  header tank was made from a strip of scale 12" x 24" basswood. The ends were treated with Squadron putty to fill in the end grain of the wood. All that needs to be added is the fill cap. Finally the roof top conduit cover was added using a strip of 0.020" x 0.080" styrene.
You can clearly see the conduit running down the centre of the car roof in the photo above.  Originally these cars would have been lit with Pintsch gas, and would have had a series of round vents running the length of the car (you can actually see them on the rood of the baggage car in the extreme left of the photo. When the cars were converted to electric light, the wiring followed the same path as the gas lines (I would imagine, mainly, to avoid having to tear out sections of the interior to install the wiring and to avoid having unsightly wires dangling around).
You can also notice some odd pieces sticking out from the clerestory (towards the bottom left of the photo). I'm not entirely sure of their function, or construction, so for the time being, I will omit them (I may circle around to them later if I manage to find more information).

Diverting my attention to the interior, I've added a steel weight to the bottom of the floor. And I've mapped out the interior partitions for the smoking room and the lavatories, lockers etc.

The outline is just the basic floor plan, when built, all the corners will be rounded off or coved. I will likely keep this section removable to allow ease of painting. 
Next up in the construction sequence will be to finish the interior construction, and then my "favourite" task(s); grab irons and end details. I haven't forgotten the transom window mullions either, but I've determined that I need some thinner stock styrene than I have on hand, so I'll have to put in an order with the hobby shop. I just need to work out a list of other items that I may "need" (one package of styrene seems a tad frivolous!).
 
Andy
 

As always, thanks everyone for the comments and likes!
 
Work on the main underbody details has largely been finished. I have decided to omit some of the "plumbing", mostly because it would serve only to add clutter to an already tight space, which is also the other reason as it has become increasingly difficult to do things neatly, without mucking up some of the already completed items (I've had to dust off a spiderweb of fine strands of CA glue).  The main queenposts are a white metal casting from Bethlehem Car Works I had laying about. The truss rods are made from monofilament fishing line. I prefer using fishing line as it is fairly easy to get tight and somewhat resilient to incidental contact. Wire is much harder to get to the proper tension (without destroying the car in the process), and would tend to show every impact.

For those who are interested, here's an annotated version showing the various major components:

The vast majority of the detail parts came from leftover Branchline kits and other bits and pieces in my parts bins. It should be mentioned that although the locations of the major components is somewhat reflective of prototype practice (and supported by partial photographic evidence), it is still only my general interpretation, and is not necessarily a 100% accurate. 
 
The corner steps have also been added. I've left off some of the final details such as the coupler cut levers and the connections for the steam, air and signal lines. These will be added later when I'm adding the grabirons and other final details.
The time has now come to return my attention to finishing the roof. Some sanding and filling is necessary to smooth our the joints, and an insert will have to be made for the clerestory.
 
Andy

And One Down One To Go ..
 
All The Best Folks
 
Eamonn
 
 

+++++++ Newsflash +++++++
 
The Anchor Stock Banding Material finally arrived    in short is is Heat Shrink ! (Got the idea from Blue Ensign on his Alert Build ) so out with the knife, heat gun and away I went..  am kinda pleased with the result !
I also blackened some copper wire (also gave them a domed head by rolling a blunt knife along the wire to cut it ) and drilled holes for them in the stocks ..  Stocks got a light coat of Wipe On Poly too.. 
 
Next up - Anchor Rings !
 
All The Best Folks
 
Eamonn

I'm glad to keep it coming.... just a little more, eh?
I don't know if you have seen these before, but here are the original plans for the Ballahoo class, in particular the HM Schooner Haddock (1805).
When, may I ask, was that painting completed?  As far as I was aware, the Ballahoo's were not tops'l schooners, but then I don't think there are any original illustrations showing the masts, so it is a matter open for debate
I think all the relevant specifications of the vessel are on the plans, but let me know if they are difficult to read and I will post them.
 
Cheerio,
Caleb
 
 

Ed.. This is for you (prepare yourself 😁 )  'Warts 'n All' as they say ..  Ballahoo is hiding (in shame, under A4 copies of her Plans.. To keep dust off) in the window, open on my desk is my current research material The Global Schooner, to the right is my Epson Scanner and Computer set up ( used for Photo Shop 'proper ' work 🙄 ) on the scanner is my Serving Machine which saw a lot of action this past few days .. As you can see it is very cluttered due to basic stuff not having a proper home yet and if I store them in boxes I'll forget about them.. sooo I leave everything in view .. Excuse Excuse 😇 
 
Oh.. as a matter of interest to some folks, in the Purple paper bag, top right on shelf, are Original pieces of timber from Asgard (very historic yacht over here in Ireland) Tarragona (Local sailing ship broken up in 1940's) and timber from Asgard II (Arklow Built Irish Sail Training Vessel lost in Bay Of Biscay a short time ago)  I may incorporate some pieces into my builds.
 
All The Very Best
 
Eamonn @ Untidy Shipyards Ltd.,  😷
 

Time for another Ballahoo Update...
 
Well Folks.. It's nearly time for the Masts to be stepped (At looong last I hear you say) Most if not all blocks/fittings are in place on the Booms, Masts & Gaffs..  Note to other Ballahoo Builders out there I feel (Opinion btw) that the position, as per plans, of the Blocks for the Gaffs is too high giving a very steep angle which feels (again an Opinion) wrong.. You would almost be pulling the Gaff into the mast (Bow & Arrow style) as opposed to raising its peak .. I will see if I have a copy of the plan here to show what I mean (Found One, See Below)  Anyhoo .. I placed my blocks in a more central location on the Gaff..
Oh also in the photos are the Anchors and their -wait for it- Stocks !! 😇  (still waiting for the Banding material, not really surprising though to be fair)  I will 'wipe on poly' them and add any details, nails & ring etc., once my delivery arrives..
 
All The Best Folks
 
Eamonn
 
Photo Time..
 

I have reached the point I am calling the model finished. At some point in the future I may add some detail such as tools, crates etc, but for now the basic build is completed and I am pleased. A few thoughts about the build:
 
The kit is my second build, my first was the New Bedford whaleboat from Model Expo which was a kit I bought many years ago and finally got around to building. This kit was also from Model Expo and a great improvement! The laser cut parts were far easier to work with and more precise than the die cut parts in my previous build. The photo etched parts were brilliant, very well done and required minimal work. The cast metal parts were clean and didn't require too much work prior to fitting and finishing. The wood strips were of good quality and no issues were found in terms of warping etc.. The Aluminum tubing and Brass wire were easy to use and appropriate for their intended use. Also included was a supply of brass pins and the included drill bits were a nice touch. The pins were perhaps a bit oversize so I filed done the heads as suggested when needed. Luckily I had a small supply of smaller pins that I also used in addition to those supplied. Also included was a supply of hexagonal plastic rod to make simulated bolt heads. The plans were very clear and well done, the directions a bit sparse but adequate, more photos would have helped but the great build logs on this site were relied upon heavily by me. The kit was very well packaged and no missing or shortage of material was encountered. My only quibble was the rigging material provided, it was quite shiny and didn't seem to be of best quality. I was spoiled as I had ordered line from Syren for my last build and there was no comparison. I used the supplied line to rig the smoke stack but used other material I had on hand for the rest of the model. I found the kit to be of high quality and was well pleased with it based upon my experience of one other build.
 
Construction was quite straight forward following the plans and instruction. All parts fit well and my only advice is check the vertical edges of the laser cut parts. Apparently the laser process causes a bit of a bevel on the edges, more pronounced on the thicker pieces so you should probably square them up before assembly. Almost all the wooden parts were glued using Titebond. I would occasional use CA for a difficult to hold or clamp part or a combination of Titebond and CA. I primarily used epoxy for the metal or wood to metal joints. I also used epoxy to mount the smoke stack as I thought it would be stronger. I reinforced a few joints with pins if it seemed appropriate.
 
In terms of painting and finishing I gave all wood parts an initial scraping or sanding and then applied a sanding sealer before final sanding and finish. As to the exterior hull prior to sanding I used cabinet scrapers to level them before sanding and was pleased with the result. I also used Elmer's wood filler on the hull and those wooden parts that were to simulate metal such as the boiler ends. I used Model Master enamel paints with the exception of the Grey areas where I used Tamyia Acrylic as I happened to have a bottle of a color I liked. I top coated all parts with lacquer for a bit of protection. I also primed all the metal parts prior to finish application. All painting was done by brush with the exception of a spray can of Testors Dullcote applied to the hull and interior areas. The natural wood areas were also finished with a sanding sealer, light sanding, stained with Minwax Gel stain and a clear coat.
 
The vast majority of the work was done with standard hand tool such as files, hobby knifes, clamps etc. as the only power tools I have are a Dremel tool, household power drill and I also used a small belt sander disguised as a knife sharpener to rough bevel the frames as outlined in an earlier post. I bought a few tools during the build and am well pleased with them. I had two pin vices that were a challenge, slipping bits etc. so I purchased a pair of Starrett pin vises, amazing how a simple, but well designed and manufactured tool can reduce frustration and make a mundane task enjoyable! I purchased a set of cabinet scrapers and was extremely pleased how nicely they worked to initially fair the hull. I also bought a sanding apparatus and it sure made squaring up parts easy. Another purchase was a detail sanding kit and very highly recommended. I had previously obtained a Veritas miniature block plane and has become a favorite tool.
 
I found this build very enjoyable for my level of non-expertise. Sufficiently challenging and with enough detail such as the engine, boiler, gun and torpedo to be a learning experience, but no complex and frustrating rigging to try your patience. I have probably bored the wonderful expert modelers on this site to tears with my long winded synopsis so apologies in advance!

A few missteps of late but nothing fatal. I thought it time to make the pressure gauge that attaches to the boiler. The kit provided a flat round wood disk that the printed paper gauge is mounted on then it is glued to the boiler. I thought it would look better with a brass bezel so I cut a strip of brass and attached it to the perimeter of the disk with epoxy.  I then glued in the paper disk and applied a few drops of UV curing resin and it promptly turned yellow. I will live with it and ascribe the dirty glass to a lax crew member.
 
Next I worked on the tiller, jct made a beautiful one in his log so I choose to try and do the same. All was going well until I got too heavy handed and broke off the end. I tried a repair but was not satisfied so made a new one, the bottom one in the photo. Not nearly as elegant as jct's but acceptable to me.
 
Lastly I had left a bunker open so as to be able to simulate it as full of coal. I had put some scrap wood in the bottom so as not to have to fill it completely. I made the coal using aquarium filter carbon I had from a long departed aquarium. I mixed it with moderately diluted white glue and put it in. Alas I could see bare wood under the coal so I scooped it all out before it set and after the wood in the bunker dried I painted it black and mixed up more coal and put it in, I am well pleased with the result.

Moving along I decided it was time to attach the smoke stack to the boiler but was concerned that this would be a piece easily knocked off by clumsy me. To reinforce it what I did was to insert a brass pin into the stack with a corresponding hole in the mating surface, I also drilled several holes at various angles in both mating surfaces to allow the glue to enter and perhaps create a keying effect. Hardest part was determining the center on both parts to align the pin properly. I was concerned that PVA glue would not be very strong on the end of the stack as it tends not to hold onto end grain well. I mixed up some epoxy and used that on the pin and the mating surfaces forcing it in to the other drilled holes also. Probably a bit of overkill but it seems quite strong and I am pleased. 
 
While allowing the glue to set up I turned my attention to the propeller, filing down the rough areas and then wet sanding it in preparation for priming and painting.

I made more progress and started installing machinery and plumbing. I applied tape to the deck and used a cut off corner of card stock as a square as none of my usual squares would fit in the confined space. The tape and cut off allowed me to take measurements and transfer them to both to determine a proper layout. I also cut the down tubes long so they would go through the deck, I thought it would look better. The tape also served to prevent splintering around the drilled holes. Once everything was in place and reasonably aligned I applied thin CA to the deck and condenser tubing connections, seems very solid. I'll just have to mind the boiler pressure so I don't blow it off the deck.  Next, on to installing the engine as it's lateral position will be determined by the propeller shaft. 


 

I threw caution to the winds and went ahead and rounded the area where the chimney attaches to the boiler and am well pleased with the result, looks much better. I cut off the corners with a fret saw and then filed and sanded the areas to a reasonable shape. Turned out fine so I can still talk to myself.
 
I have finished the machinery and other bits so it is time to break out my pipe wrenches and start on the plumbing. I primed all the metal parts and tubing with some Floquil Zinc Oxide paint I happened to have. I have no idea if it is actual Zinc Oxide primer or that is just the color it represents?? I don't know if priming helps but it probably doesn't hurt. I dislike plumbing as I always end up with leaks, but time to grab the bull by the tail and face the situation. 

I cut some squares of painters tape and put them in the gun port locations. This is with 12 of the front gun ports shifted to safe locations.  At the stern, I  moved four ports. 


I think this may work. I don't think the odd spacing is too noticeable.  What do you all think?
 
Mark Frazier 

I marked the ports according to the pattern.  I cannot move some of these the amount needed. I colored in the bulkhead interference. 

 

I will mark the other side and move the ports to see how it looks. 
 
Mark Frazier 

I have planked below the gun ports and stopped for an issue. I knew this problem was coming .... and now it is here. This is the poor planning on Mantua's part with this kit. The gun ports are interfered with by the bulkheads. I would have thought they would consider this in the design. 

There is marks on the gun port template to line up with a bulkhead. The ports look good in this location .... BUT.... several of the gun ports are badly obstructed by bulkheads, about 6 total.



This was my reason for marking the bulkheads  on the outside of the planking.

My first thought was to shift a few of the gun ports,  but this makes everything look odd. I can't shift the pattern far enough to move them all as it will look very wrong. The worst one has a bulkhead in the center of a gun port opening. This is a problem and will have to be sorted out before proceeding. I am open to suggestions.  My first thought is to cut the gun port openings and then cut the bulkhead back. This will have to be done through the small gun port opening on most of them. I may be able to shift a couple but I  am doubtful as it will throw the spacing off too much and look weird. I shall think on this for a while to explore all options before cutting anything.
 
Mark Frazier
 

Found a couple of links Mark  -
 
http://www.shipmodelsocietyofnewjersey.org/resources/Downloads_page/Lining Off your hull for planking.pdf
 
https://www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com/resources/PartTwo.pdf
 
And from our very own  -
 
OC.